News

Beirut off the tourist map

The Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to Lebanon after Israeli air strikes on Beirut’s international airport crushed 10 years of effort to redevelop the tourist infrastructure.

Inbound flights were redirected to Cyprus as Israel carried out its threat to attack civilian targets as a reprisal for Hezbollah’s capture of two Israeli soldiers.

British operators confirmed that forthcoming trips to the country would be cancelled. Explore Worldwide said that passengers on its July 23 departure would be offered a full refund, and Mike Pullman, of Cox & Kings, said he was contacting clients. “We don’t depart until August, so we’ll follow Foreign Office advice. It’s a case of wait and see.”

Tom Barber, of Original Travel, said the attacks had “probably put back Lebanese tourism by five years. We had growing numbers travelling to Beirut, who were thrilled by its culture, history and nightlife, and now it’s